Fear is no stranger to me. Not anymore. This is all becoming more real and real that I'm questioning my sanity and whether this happens in my head or in reality. Is this how people go insane? They lose the ability to distinguish reality and imagination.
There is nothing but darkness again - except for a silvery path that unfolds before me, winding treacherously across space like a serpent. It glimmers like a river under the imaginary moonbeam.
The fourth door is at the end of the path. I can see the sharp outlines of it against the dark background.
I follow it. I know that whatever is going to test me here, will be along the path. I walk for ten total seconds without interruption which sets my alarm bells ringing. The state of balancing on the edge of false security and the fall that would break my bones - my mind is screaming at me.
Suddenly, I notice a hand next to me and my heart skips a beat.
A pair of demanding hands grab my ankle. I yelp in astonishment and lose my balance, tripping over and collapsing onto the ground. I try to stay in the path with every ounce of my weakening strength when their grip around my legs tightens and starts dragging me from the path.
Helplessly, I glance over my shoulder and regret it then and there. Freezingly cold water has swallowed my whole waist, I'm clinging to the path with two hands only - I spot some of the black, scary creatures swarming under me like fish when being fed. The creatures stare at me with their malicious light bulb eyes as they try to pull me underwater with them.
I don't want to know what they have in store for me. This is supposed to be a simulation but I was never told what happens if I fail. I guess I have to hope the god mode is on.
One of them sinks its claws into my upper body and uses me to rise from the black sea. I groan painfully when thick needles pierce my skin in different body parts. The monster places its claws right under my ribs, I stop breathing both out of agony and fear and refuse to look at the thing that has now reached my upper back.
I can feel its slimy, wet tongue exploring my neck and moving down to the wound in my right shoulder, licking off the blood. I flinch and let out a gasp. The low, satisfied growl right next to my ear drowns out even the drumming of my terrified heart. Maybe it's testing if I'm tasty enough to be their next meal.
Disgusting. I'm at pains to distance myself from the measly creature of my mind but each of my desperate attempts seems to bring them closer and closer.
What a stroke of luck I happen to be an excellent swimmer. My mother used to whisk me away for swimming lessons ever since I learned to write and read. It feels as natural as breathing for me. All I have to do is to harness my skill to the best of my ability.
I take the last mouthful of air before my head contacts with the liquid. Coldness hits me immediately but the familiar feel of water wraps me in a shroud of novel serenity and determination. Water is my element.
My vigilant eyes flicker to sinister, shapeless creatures that swim past me in a whoosh faster than my brain can process. They swarm around me like ravenous sharks. I just need to find a way back to up. Time has regard for nobody but itself, it's going forward as mercilessly as a whirling, fleeting train.
Forty-one seconds.
I can feel sharp teeth biting into my already wounded shoulder.
Not even thinking twice this time, I expose my weapon and sink my teeth into the black body of the creature. Human teeth can actually do a lot of damage. If you want to beat the monster, you'll have to be one of them.
It has the wanted effect. The monster howls in a high-pitched manner and dashes away from me with speed more rapid I never thought would be possible in terms of physics. It leaves a trail of inky goo behind.
Despite the ticking pain, I also feel a sensation way stronger than pain - the raw power of a soldier awakening within me. The water turns red from my blood, swirling in a vortex, and sucking me in. The creatures are gulping ice-cold water with my blood in it, making satisfied noises. But I fight back. I have to. If I don't fight, I can't win. As long as they can't break me, they are not invincible.
They probably feed on my haunting past and are now resurfaced by the fear of the little child me who squeaked every time water caressed his toes. If it wasn't for my mother forcing me to cross my boundaries and take swimming lessons, I would have never learned to love it and mastered the skill.
I would still be a coward. But in this world full of unsettling uncertainty, never giving anything the power to dissuade you from braveness and alert is life insurance.
Twenty-nine seconds. Already halfway through.
Red is a beautiful color - as long as it's not coming from me.
My eyes catch a glimpse of something shiny hidden in the murkiness of the water and warm hope lights in my chest. The fourth door stands there with a silver swirl escaping from the crevice and luring me closer with promises of a better life if I keep going. It surely shifts its place sometimes if you turn your eyes from it for a long time but this time it is a good thing. I almost sigh in relief but keep in mind that it's too early to rejoice.
Eighteen seconds. I'm surprised that after the little episode I still have that much time left.
Breaking a sweat, I swim towards the door, scooping the water and brushing aside the pain the movements make me go through. My oxygen storage is empty and in growing need of replenishment. But I can cope with that. I have to. For the sake of my mother.
The obscure outlines of an underwater cave are delineated by an uneven row of rocks that resemble spikes. I see no marine life. I can't be hurt as long as I don't show any weaknesses. I'm getting there, this is almost too easy as if -
Something tightens around my tiny ankle again and pulls me back with one jerk. No. I fight vigorously and furiously with my legs, trying to kick every possible thing in the way. But it's much harder when you're underwater.
Shit! The thing around my ankle is a rope of seaweed I hadn't noticed when I headlong and in the intoxicating flush of victory slipped into reckless action.
But this seaweed isn't exactly normal. It climbs up my leg with slimy fingers like it has a will of its own.
One creeper has found my neck, pressing it slightly. I feel like a dog on a leash. A quite tight one, in fact.
I turn my head and cut the plant in two with my teeth. But the little devil slithers into mouth sneakily. I start gagging when it reaches for my gullet.
Help me.
Stop.
I'm dying.
This is it.
I claw at the plant in despair. This is almost unbearable. The rise of panic.
Is there any way to get free from this stranglehold? This simulation is said to be difficult, not impossible. There must a way to overcome every obstacle, many people before me have passed this level so I can do the same - if you can't jump over something, you can crawl under it or evade it.
I'm going to prove to everyone I am the humanity's bravest person.
Ten seconds.
I remember reading something about these kinds of situations. So if I play dead, will the plant let me go? I take a risk and force my body to relax. I let go of my fear almost forcibly. This is not real. It can't truly kill me. It just feels like that...
Against all odds, it releases me probably assuming I have given up.
Six seconds.
I don't let the golden opportunity go waste and start fighting against the flow that tries to keep me away from my destination. My exhausted muscles scream, my empty lungs are pleading me to stop but my mind is dead set at reaching the damn door. So close. So close.
One second.
I won. But it was a close call.